Go Fish. Matthew 17:24-27 NLT

A long, long, time ago, in a land far, far away.....
(okay, it was sometime in the 1990's in the White Mountains of Arizona)
David and I had gone camping and fishing at Big Lake, a well stocked lake in Arizona. We were standing on the shore with many other fishermen when I had a tug on my line. When I reeled it in, there were two fish on the line. I yelled "Look, I caught twins". We all had a good laugh. In reality, my line had also snagged a cut line with a fish on it.

For Peter, a professional fisherman, to be told to "throw in a line" would have seemed somewhat awkward but he obeyed Jesus. Maybe he kept an eye out for fellow fisherman hoping to not be seen and ridiculed. Once Peter caught the fish and removed the coin, he went and paid the tax for himself and Jesus. 

Jesus didn't have to pay the tax but through God's provision He did. Jesus didn't have to pay the price for our sin on the cross either but he did. And in paying for our sin, He paid for Peter too.

Matthew 17:24-27 NLT

Payment of the Temple Tax

24 On their arrival in Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple tax came to Peter and asked him, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the Temple tax?”

25 “Yes, he does,” Peter replied. Then he went into the house.

But before he had a chance to speak, Jesus asked him, “What do you think, Peter? Do kings tax their own people or the people they have conquered?”

26 “They tax the people they have conquered,” Peter replied.

“Well, then,” Jesus said, “the citizens are free! 27 However, we don’t want to offend them, so go down to the lake and throw in a line. Open the mouth of the first fish you catch, and you will find a large silver coin. Take it and pay the tax for both of us.”

Blessings, Cecilia